Jharkhand, December 23: The ruling Congress party won crucial seats in elections in Jharkhand on Wednesday, highlighting the party’s continuing dominance, but the state appeared headed for a hung assembly.
The Congress-led alliance won 24 of 81 seats in the resource-rich state, a gain of 14 from the last polls in 2005, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.
The main opposition Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 19 seats. The regional party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) took 18 seats and will hold the key to a new government.
None of the big parties has a two-thirds majority to form the next government and will need support from smaller groups.
The state is plagued by Maoist rebels who have unnerved investors. These include ArcelorMittal, the world’s top steelmaker, which is building a plant, as well as mining group Vedanta Resources, which sources bauxite from there.
Analysts say the Congress, which scored a big victory in the national election last May and in several states since, is unlikely to enter into a tug-of-war with the BJP over forming the government in Jharkhand.
“I don’t think Congress will be very keen as that will mean making deals with smaller parties and giving into their terms and conditions,” said Sanjay Kumar, a senior fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in New Delhi.
“The Congress has never been very powerful in Jharkhand, and they will be happy they have increased their seat tally. It’s a boost to them, a continuation of the rise of the Congress.”
The state was placed under president’s rule in January after the chief minister lost a by-election and resigned.
—Agencies